Comparison

Comparison is said to be the thief of joy.

That makes it seem so simple. Like someone stealing a package off your porch. Or a colleague taking your pencil and you can just take it back. But comparison is more complicated than that.

Comparison is like an elaborate con. It’s a secret heist. A white-collar psychological fraud.

Comparison sneaks in innocently. Naturally. It lures us into simple better-than-less-than judgements about ourselves and others. And then, when we’re not paying attention, it guts us.

Better to handle comparison like an untrustworthy operative. Or a useful but dangerous chemical.

We can’t avoid comparison, but we can contend with it wisely.